A conventional torque converter is disclosed in an U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,226 which is issued on Aug. 14, 2001. The torque converter is provided with a torque input member, a first torque transmitting member, which is hydrodynamically transmitted with torque from the torque input member and can output the torque to a torque output member, a clutch member engageable with the torque input member, a pair of plates fixed to the clutch member, a second torque transmitting member fixed to the torque output member, and an elastic member, which is supported between the pair of plates for transmitting the torque to the second torque transmitting member and for absorbing vibration and fluctuation contained in the torque. That is, the torque transmitting according to the above-disclosed torque converter is performed by a fluid coupling mechanism or by a direct transmitting method with the clutch member.
However, the above-disclosed torque converter is provided with the first torque transmitting member for transmitting the torque by the fluid coupling mechanism. The torque converter is further provided with the clutch member, the pair of plates supporting the elastic member, the second torque transmitting member, and the elastic member. That is, the torque converter is provided with the aforementioned components which functions independently, thereby increasing the number of components housed therein.
The present invention therefore seeks to provide a torque converter which is capable of transmitting torque from an engine to a transmission with less number of components of the torque converter.